New Mars Forums

Heimdall

Member

Registered: 2006-09-25

Posts: 13

Re: Mars magnetic field(s) and the feasibility of an outpost

Mars nay-sayers always claim that the planet's absence of a strong magnetic field will complicate setting up a human outpost as well as making the chances of finding any lifeforms negligible due to strong radiation. While they are probably right to a degree, how would setting up a base in one of the areas where Mars _does_ have a local magnetic field affect the feasibility of such an undertaking? Are the Martian magnetic fields strong enough to deflect harmful radiation, hence improving the chances of any lifeforms surviving? Are there places that both has a local magnetic field and a low elevation which would increase likelihood of standing brines/water as well as provide additional atmospheric protection agains radiation (maybe Valles Marineris)?

Does anybody know where to find maps detaling Mars's magnetic fields?

cIclops

Member

Registered: 2005-06-16

Posts: 3,230

Re: Mars magnetic field(s) and the feasibility of an outpost

Martian magnetic field - more details here

Locally, the magnetic fields arch over the surface like umbrellas, hundreds of km high. "If you were standing on Mars in one of these areas," says Mitchell, "you would measure a magnetic field about as strong as Earth's -- a few tenths of a gauss." Elsewhere on the planet the magnetic field is 100 to 1000 times weaker.

Indeed, it appears that Mars's magnetic umbrellas act like miniature magnetospheres. They ward off the solar wind in their vicinity and harbor pockets of gas ionized by solar UV radiation that would otherwise be blown away.

So says the theory, but direct measurement would be needed to see how much reduction there actually is in the radiation level.

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Heimdall

Member

Registered: 2006-09-25

Posts: 13

Re: Mars magnetic field(s) and the feasibility of an outpost

Thank you for the great link!